Most people have likely heard the advice to wear earplugs at loud concerts or turn the radio system in their cars down to protect their hearing. And while most would agree their ability to hear is important to them, not everyone is taking these warnings seriously.

They aren’t just a safety hazard for hearing either. They can also create dangerous situations when the user is unable to hear warnings in their immediate surroundings. You wouldn’t drive on the highway with headphones on and miss the sound of a loud beep to alert you to move, why would you use headphones on a construction site where heavy machinery is in use?

But it happens anyway and now OSHA has stepped in and issued a warning about the risk of playing music loudly at dangerous work sites.

Most workplaces with extreme noise present will make hearing protection a part of their company policy but sometimes workers not required to use the hearing protection devices are turning to loud music or headphones to alleviate some of the noise the heavy machinery on-site makes.

While there is no specific regulation against music players at these worksites, OSHA is advising employers to meet their other requirements of providing these workers with hearing protection that reduce noise levels they are subjected to. It is also the responsibility of the company to provide a safe work environment for all workers, at all times. To meet these requirements company-specific policies about wearing headphones on the job site are recommended.

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